Skirt.



M. MUGALLUM.

SKIRT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1912.

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Y SKIRT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1 912. 1,082,467. Patented Dec.23, 1913.

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per Wfimwy.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

MAUDE MUGALLUM, OF LONDON,.ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO METCALFE BALDOCK & COMPANY, OF LONDON, \ENGLAND.

SKIRT.

inseam.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

Application filed September 16, 1912. Serial No. 720,710.

with a skirt, leg portions which resemble bloomers. These, however, have involved an undue amount of material and are un-' comfortable and heavy in wear. They are also, in many cases, bulky and unsightly and have been associated with what are known as divided skirts.

The object of the present invention is to provide a skirt which necessitates only a short length of material as in the well-known tube skirt and which shall have the appearance of a tube skirt, but with which the wearer shall be able to take an unrestricted stride, or be free to take part in athletic exercises requiring freedom of the legs.

Another object is to insure that the skirt shall be retained in proper position during athletic exercises or when worn in a high wind.

According to the present invention an ordinary tube skirt is formed with internal loops at opposite sides which loops are sewn at the sides contiguous to the skirt so that they form leg port-ions, and the skirt is provided with plaits adjacent the loops or leg portions.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a back of one form of skirt according to the invention, the skirt being assumed to be laid out flat. Fig. 2 is a view of the bottom edge of the skirt. Fig. 3 is a view of the side of the same skirt, also assumed to be laid out flat. Fig. 4 is a section on the line XX Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of a modification. Fig. 7 is a view of the bottom edge of a skirt, especially adapted for riding and similar purposes.

In carrying out the invention according to one form the skirt a, which may be in one piece of material, or may be made up as usual from a number of gores, is looped at opposite sides so as to form internal loops 6, which are sewn together at the sides 0, contiguous to the skirt. The loops 6, form leg portions or bloomers. The material of the skirt a, is thus in one piece with the materialof the loops 6, and as the loops are sewn at the sides 0, contiguous to the sides of the skirt, the leg portions may be said to be sewn to the skirt atthe sides along the seam 0. Therefore, when the skirt is in use, the legs of the wearer being inside the leg portions 6, retain the skirt a, in position should there be any tendency, for instance in a high wind, for the skirt to rise.

In order to enable the wearer to make an unrestricted stride, the skirt is provided in the sides adjacent to the leg portions with accommodating portions, which are disposed in permanent plaits (Z and expand and contract according to the posture of the wearer. These accommodating portions afford suflicient extra material to permit of free movement, but their formation is such as to conceal this fullness when the wearer is in standing position, thus giving the appearance of a tube skirt. These plait-s (Z, need not extend throughout the whole length of the skirt, but may have outer scams or folds cl, which terminate, for instance, at a point e, below the hips, and inner scams or folds (Z terminating at (Z on each side of said point in spaced relation thereto as indicated in Fig. 3.

The skirt may be provided with any usual accessories such as a placket hole or the like, but in the preferred form the back of the skirt is provided with a placket hole. nor mally covered by a flap 9, which can be secured by any usual fastenings. This flap, as in the example illustrated, may form part of a back panel 71-, of the skirt, the flap being shown in its open position in Fig. 1. The placket hole may be guarded internally ;by an inner flap 7, which can be sewn on or be formed integrally with the material 6, which is an upward extension of the material of the loops 6.

In a modification the leg portions 7), may be separate from the skirt near the foot, so as to give greater freedom of movement, for instance as indicated at 2', Figs. 5 and 6. This can be effected conveniently by cutting the leg portions along their sides adjacent to the skirt and sewing such severed sides to form seams la. The severed portions of the skirt at this part can be sewn together along a seam Z. The upper part of each leg portionb, will still remain attached to the body of the skirt along the side seam 0.

The leg portions 6, may stop short at about the hips so as to lessen the amount of material at the hips and waist, but as a rule the leg portions may merge into one another and extend to the waist band, the material Z), forming the extension of the leg portions 2), being out along the inner sides m, so that the front portions of the extensions 7), of the loops 5, can be joined together along a seam a, while the back portions are provided with the flap f, for the placket hole, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4:. The outer sides of the loop portions are also severed from the skirt a, from the point 6, Fig. 3, to the waist band p, and are joined together to form scams 0.

It will be understood that the upper parts of the bloomers last described will be suitably shaped to conform to the hips and waist as is common in the art of dress cutting.

The extensions 6, and the material of the skirt a, are preferably joined by means of a waist band 7), of webbing or other suitable material.

When the skirt is to be used by horse women when riding astride or for cycling, the front and back of the skirt may be clivided as at 9, Fig. 7 suitable buttons 7', or other fastening devices being provided so that the divided portions of the skirt can be temporarily attached together when the wearer is walking. WVhen used for riding astride (either cycle or horseback) the leg portion may be separate from the skirt, from the bottom of the skirt to slightly above the knee, as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 5. When walking the two portions may if desired be held together by fasteners.

permanent plaits and expanding and contracting automatically according to the posture of the wearer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A tube skirt or the like having internal leg portions which are narrow and fit the leg and are sewn to the skirt at opposite sides thereof along a vertical line, said skirt closely encircling said leg portions and having accommodating portions in its sides, said accommodating portions being disposed in permanentplaits which expand and contract automatically according to the posture of the wearer allowing the skirt to expand circumferentially, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A skirt having internal leg port-ions sewn to the skirt at opposite sides thereof, and accommodating portions which expand and contract automatically according to the posture of the wearer, said portions comprising two permanent plaits in the skirt on each side adjacent to said leg portions, the plaits on each side having outer seams meeting at a point below the hips and having inner seams terminating on each side of said point in spaced relation thereto, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAUDE MOCALLUM.

WVitnesses B. CLARK, FLORENCE h lE'rcALFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

